The Grand Valley State volleyball team - the 2013 GLIAC regular season and tournament champions - recently received an impressive academic award, handed out by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). 

GVSU was rewarded with the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2013-14 school year by displaying excellence in the classroom throughout the year. As a team, the Lakers maintained at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average, qualifying for the honor.

A record 676 schools in college (Divisions I, II, and III) and high school were honored for an award that was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year. The 676 total schools last year surpasses the 2012-13 total of 623, the previous record.

Along with Grand Valley State, the other GLIAC volleyball programs to earn the academic award were Findlay, Hillsdale, Northern Michigan, Northwood, Ohio Dominican, Saginaw Valley State, and Wayne State.

The Lakers begin the 2014 season - and their defense of the conference title - on Sept. 5-6 at the Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo.